Lambrecht on improved European air defence

German Defence Minister Christine Lambrecht on Thursday said 15 countries have agreed to move ahead with plans for an improved European air-defence system.

The minister said on the sidelines of a meeting of NATO defence ministers that a letter of intent was signed to organise joint procurement for the European Sky Shield, under German coordination.

German news agency dpa reported that representatives of the U.K., Slovakia, Norway, Latvia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Romania and Slovenia attended the signing ceremony.